Cooking For One

sprouting good health

2009-04-13T13:07:00.000-05:00

These are sprouts .. about a day away from harvest. It's a mix of seeds - red clover, radish, alfalfa, canola .. and red lentils. Health Foods Unlimited sells this conglomeration as their organic salad sprouting mix.

About 4 tsp of the mix is soaked in purified water overnight, then drained .. and stored in my cupboard away from daylight. Rinsing occurs twice daily until the seeds & lentils mature .. 3 - 5 days.

Protein synthesis takes place as these tiny critters sprout, resulting in a salad "popper-topper" that delivers full protein complementarity .. along with adding some zesty depth to the salad's flavor. I will do mung beans next. Those sprouts should be in every salad.

The benefits of sprouting my own vs buying them packaged from the grocer are twofold. I'm using organic seeds, beans & lentils .. and I'm providing sprouts for myself at a fraction of the supermarket price.

quick fruit smoothie

2009-04-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Three quarters of a cup of oj, and a quarter cup of drinkable yogurt make a tasty orange & strawberry fruit smoothie. And quick too. Definitely not on the low end of the Glycemic Index.

The nutritional workup ain't shabby either:

Protein: 3.25g
Carbs: 28.25g
Fat: 0.5g
Sugar: 24g
Calories: 130

A nutritional benefit is provided by probiotics and Inulin, a prebiotic. These critters populate the intestines to increase calcium absorption and protect the immune system.

make your salads count

2009-01-19T01:47:00.000-05:00

Throw out that head of iceberg lettuce .. it has nary a drop of nutrition. These bagged greens are the "real McCoy" .. and help make salad prep a breeze.

combat those wintertime blues

2009-01-04T12:23:00.001-05:00

Cocoa is a natural mood elevator, and just what the doctor ordered for a dreary winter's day. And the 50/50 blend of natural and Dutched cocoas in this product really bring out its rich flavor.

Cocoa is the food of the gods. Is that because the gods need not be concerned about their health? Or are there real health benefits to consuming cocoa?

References:

Chocolate - Science News - ProHealth - European Food Information Council

a great sandwich creation

2008-12-22T01:53:00.001-05:00

starts with the bread

It's as simple as homemade. And you can bake a loaf of artisan bread for less than the cost of commercial brands.

Never made bread before? Not a problem. You can buy a bread maker for $90, or less. Just follow the machine's instructions, and you'll have fresh bread in 3 hours.

Your bread maker will eventually pay for itself. But who cares? In the toaster, on the griddle or as is, you have never tasted bread as it's meant to be until you've tried homemade.

here's a quick healthy meal

2008-11-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Just a few simple ingredients thrown together, and .. viola! A tasty dyn-o-mite salad that is a meal in itself. Afraid of the bacon? Substitute with croûtons. Either way, there's lots of good nutrition here.

add some punch to your munch

2008-11-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Sometimes that ol' sweet tooth takes control .. and nothing will do to change that until it's satisfied. Well here's a healthy treat. Start with a slice of whole grain bread .. toasted. Next comes a bed of natural peanut butter topped with swirls of honey .. then a generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon.

And this will satisfy much more than a cinnamon roll with that morning cup of coffee. It's also easier on the pocketbook.

conservation in the kitchen

2008-11-07T19:53:00.002-05:00

This 3 gal. capacity Crofton convection oven is rated at 1300 watts and will circulate air as hot as 500° F. It broils, bakes, barbecues, fries, roasts, grills and steams.

I haven't done the math, but this has to be more cost efficient than a conventional oven. It comes up to temperature so fast .. no pre-heating is required. And the constant circulation of hot air shaves up to 20% off cooking times.

I have cooked dinner for 6 several times in my convection oven. It's a good companion to a conventional oven that isn't yet in need of replacement.

got wheat germ?

2008-10-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

No kitchen should be without wheat germ. Besides being a great addition to meat loaf or salmon patties, a tablespoon of the stuff will compliment that morning bowl of cereal. Especially hot oatmeal. Its rich nutty flavor is easy to take, and you'll give that cereal a nice nutrition boost at the same time.

my cheat salad

2008-09-28T23:15:00.000-05:00

On a bed of sweet red & green butter lettuces, I place diced tomato, 1 diced hard-boiled egg, a generous pour from the Italian dressing bottle .. then, a liberal sprinkling of shredded cheddar .. and topped off with two slices of crumbled bacon.

Needless to say, the cheat here is the bacon. A great substitute would be baked chicken breast, cut into small pieces, and browned in a skillet with olive or canola oil.

Anyway it was a late dinner .. and this salad made a light and satisfying meal. I have found that the Italian salad dressing compliments this dish quite well.

red refresher

2008-09-04T21:32:00.001-05:00

Here's a quick and healthy refresher .. morning, noon or night. Chilled vegetable juice. Just pour some into a tumbler, "heat" to taste, and enjoy.

got a sweet tooth?

2008-08-17T16:42:00.001-05:00

buttered & honey drizzled cinnamon toast

Got that hankerin' for a cinnabun to accompany your glass of milk or cup of coffee? Why not try a more healthy substitute. I start with a slice of my homemade country white, but whole grain bread is a smarter option.

Toast it, butter it, sprinkle on the ground cinnamon and drizzle it with some honey. That's it. Quick and simple. And much better for your body.

check out this caper

2008-07-28T15:46:00.002-05:00

Seems like we read more and more, as time goes by, about the health benefits of certain herbs, spices and condiments.

One of my favorite lunchtime sandwiches is a tuna melt on homemade bread. And capers are always a great addition to the tuna salad.

Also .. they are a big source of natural antioxidants that show promise for fighting cancer and heart disease when added to meals.

A big part of cooking for one is utilizing ingredients that promote good health while adding that "something extra" to the dish we are preparing.

sanitizing your scrubber thing

2008-07-19T20:21:00.000-05:00

I'm a stickler for cleanliness in the kitchen, and following the rules for safe food handling. Non-metallic scrubbing pads are good bacteria breeders, and should be periodically sanitized.

A quick and easy method is to rinse the pad, squeeze out excess water, place on a platter and "nuke" in your microwave for two minutes.

Platter and pad will be hot, so let them sit for about 5 minutes before removing from microwave.

fried taters for one ... times five

2007-12-09T17:51:00.000-05:00

Here are five ziplock sandwich bags with single serving fried potatoes. They will be placed in a ziplock freezer bag and into my freezer.
Each serving is easily and quickly defrosted in the microwave, then fried for a few minutes in a skillet containing hot Canola oil. The "over easy" eggs will be next.
So remember. When you are cooking for one, why not cook for six and freeze five for later.

Great Grandma Bea's Famous Fried Mush

2007-07-20T18:51:00.000-05:00

This tasty fried mush is a sweet breakfast treat. It takes a little prep work, but it's worth it.

what you need:

Medium size saucepan

1 cup corn meal

2¾ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup cold water

Bring 2¾ cups of water to boil in saucepan. Combine remaining ingredients, including cup of cold water, in a mixing bowl. Gradually add cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until the mush thickens.

When thickened, cover pan, turn heat to lowest setting, and cook an additional 20-25 minutes. Pour into small loaf pan or suitable bowl. Cool, then refrigerate overnight.

FRYING DIRECTIONS

Cover bottom of large frying pan with *Canola Oil, and place on burner at medium heat setting. While frying pan is heating, place loaf pan containing mush upside down onto dinner plate. Tap bottom of container if necessary. The "molded" mush should fall right out onto the plate. (you may have to coax it with a spatula) Cut mush into ½ inch thick pieces.

Fry mush for 5-6 minutes on medium heat, each side. Serve hot, slathered in butter, and covered with your favorite syrup.

*Canola oil contains both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a ratio of 2:1 and is only second to flax oil in omega-3 fatty acid. It is one of the most heart-healthy oils and has been reported to reduce cholesterol levels, lower serum triglyceride levels, and keep platelets from sticking together.

hint: Ease those puppies into the hot oil using a spatula. The moist mush will hit that oil, resulting in some minor splatters, so play it safe.

You will have some mush left over, unless you have the appetite of some giant animal. Place left over mush in storage container, and refrigerate. Remember, always observe safe food handling directions.

A Classic Mush & Joe Breakfast

2007-07-04T13:36:00.000-05:00

Famous French Toast
Tip: This recipe yields approximately 10 slices of French Toast. An electric griddle is ideal when preparing this breakfast for a house-full of kids.

What you'll need:

white bread, 10 slices Note: whole wheat bread is a wholesome substitute

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

Splash of pure vanilla extract

butter

powdered sugar

ground cinnamon

Pre-heat electric griddle at 300 degrees F. Combine and mix beaten eggs, splash of vanilla extract and milk in a shallow casserole dish.

Lightly cover griddle surface with "trans-fat free" cooking spray. Dip bread slices into french toast batter, saturating both sides. (I simply lay the slice of bread into the batter, then turn the slice over 3 times.) Place onto hot griddle and cook for 5 minutes on each side.

Serve with a topping of melted butter, powdered sugar, and a generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon, or the topping of your choice. Enjoy!

Note: This "cooking for one" recipe yeilds leftovers that can be placed into quart size freezer bags, and into your freezer.

TO RE-HEAT FROZEN FRENCH TOAST:

Place french toast on serving plate and microwave for approximately 15 seconds, each side. Then warm in toaster on medium setting.

Uncle Edifred's Tantalizing Mandarins

2007-06-24T20:51:00.000-05:00

What you need:

1 11 oz can Mandarin Orange slices (in natural juice or light syrup)

ground cinnamon

This is a very simple dessert or snack treat. Just spoon the orange slices into a cereal bowl, then lightly sprinkle them with cinnamon. The light cinnamon flavor really complements these sweet oranges.

Health Tip: Cinnamon helps support good health. We should always have a jar or can handy.

Sass-Kat Nicole's Famous Beef On A Bun

2007-06-18T00:42:00.000-05:00

Beef on a Bun (a big "Thank You" to Nicole for this recipe)

Roast { inside round, sirloin, as long as it is boneless}

salt and pepper

1 bottle beer

1 cup ketchup

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 onion minced

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp liquid smoke

3 cloves garlic – crushed

crusty buns

Put FROZEN roast in roaster pan
Sprinkle with salt and pepper

In a small bowl whisk beer, ketchup, brown sugar, onion, mustard, basil, chili powder,Worcestershire, liquid smoke and garlic. Pour over meat.

Cover tight with foil, or lid

Roast for 4 hours @ 280 degrees, then for 1 and a half hours at 325 degrees.
Remove roast, and cut into shreds. { It should be tender enough to fall apart, just using 2 forks}

Place shredded meat back into sauce and cook for half an hour at 300. { when placing meat in sauce, cover fully with sauce}

Serve on crusty rolls with some sauce. (serves 6 - 8)

Salad is a nice side dish, and baked beans.

Enjoy!!!!

author's note: Portion size amounts of leftover beef with juice can be placed into separate freezer bags, frozen, then later thawed & heated in the microwave. Remember, when cooking for one, those leftovers make quick and easy future meals.

Grandpa's World Famous Spaghetti Italiano

2007-06-18T00:11:00.000-05:00

The spaghetti sauce is simple, and can easily be doubled for a larger group of diners.

what you'll need:

1/2 lb thin spaghetti

1 32oz jar of any store brand sauce. (I've used Prego and Ragu, but it doesn't seem to matter.)

1/2 lb hamburger (Yes, the fatty stuff. I don't drain off the fat either. Fat is a great flavor enhancer.)

3 to 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced (I use 5, I love mushrooms)

1 clove of fresh garlic (Two cloves work great for me. Have your garlic press ready)

1/4 cup (approx) leaf oregano (I don't measure mine. I sprinkle a liberal amount into the sauce)

First, brown the hamburger in a deep skillet.

Add the sauce into the skillet along with the mushrooms. Then come the "magic" ingredients, the cloves of pressed fresh garlic, and a generous (don't be stingy) sprinkling of oregano. Cover the skillet and let the sauce cook on medium-low heat. Stir sauce regularly.

Now, place a pot of fresh filtered water with about a tablespoon of salt on the range top to boil.

I use a 100% semolina thin spaghetti, but whole wheat is an excellent choice, too.

Place the spaghetti into the pot of boiling water and time it to cook for 10 minutes. I cook my spaghetti "el dente", to the tooth. So, it may boil for another minute or more until it's just right. High altitudes require longer cooking times.

Drain the spaghetti into a collandar and place back into into the cooking pot.
Drizzle virgin olive oil on the spaghetti and toss it until all the strands are covered.

I serve this with grated parmesan cheese, and sometimes freshly baked garlic toast slathered with butter.

Tip: Remember, cooking for one doesn't always mean preparing only enough for one meal. Place portion size amounts of leftover spaghetti into medium size storage containers, cover with leftover sauce, and place into freezer. Now, you have several future spaghetti meals ready for the microwave. And they will keep there safely for up to 3 months.

Grandpa's World Famous Waffles

2007-05-14T17:21:00.000-05:00

I suppose the first thing for me to do here is to voice my definition of a properly baked waffle. Simply stated, it's one that is soft on the inside and crisp on the outside.

Baking time is part of the equation, but batter consistency is just as important. Also, I keep it simple by using a boxed mix that requires adding only water plus a little vegetable oil.

While your waffle maker is heating, in a mixing bowl, place:

4 cups waffle mix

2 cups cold water

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh blueberries (optional)

Stir ingredients, adding small amounts of additional water until batter has a slightly runny consistency. Spoon batter into waffle maker, close lid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cooked waffle and place on plate to cool. Put cooled waffles into quart size freezer bags, 2 to a bag, and place in freezer.

The yield for your freezer is several waffles, depending on how many you eat as your cooking them. I find that quart size freezer bags are perfect for 2 waffle squares per bag.

Tip: Always store frozen items in a bag or container designed for freezer storage. It will keep your frozen foods fresh.

HEATING YOUR FROZEN WAFFLES

Put waffles on a plate and heat in microwave for 20 seconds, each side. Then toast the waffles at about mid-range setting on your toaster. Top toasted waffle with fruit compote or syrup. (I like to butter my waffles first)

Soft Boiled Eggs On English Muffin

2007-02-06T01:47:00.000-05:00

Approx. Prep. Time: 9 minutes

What You’ll Need

2 eggs

1 whole wheat English Muffin

butter or buttery spread

Bring a sauce pan of water to a boil and add eggs. Set timer for 6 minutes.

Split your English muffin and insert into toaster.

When 2 minutes remain on the timer, start toasting the muffins. Microwave the serving plate for 30 seconds, and you will have a warm plate to place your food onto.

Remove the sauce pan from the stove when timer signals. Pour most of cooking water into your sink, and start running cold water into the pan. By this time your English muffins should be done toasting.

Place both halves of your English muffin onto your serving plate and spread with butter or a buttery spread that has no trans-fats.

Your eggs should now be cool enough to handle. Shut off the water, remove the eggs and towel dry them. One at a time, crack the egg shells with a knife and scoop out the eggs onto the muffins. Salt and pepper to your personal taste.

Note: Six minutes is an approximate time for soft boiling eggs. Mountain residents may need to cook them a slightly longer time. Water boils about 2 degrees lower for every 1,000 feet of elevation above sea level.

Hint: Invest in a pepper mill if you don’t already have one. The aroma of freshly ground pepper is a real treat. Also, a glass of orange juice is a great addition to this breakfast.

Health Tip: Remember, a healthy breakfast will jump start your metabolism. You will burn more calories during the day and be less apt to eat a mid-morning junk snack.

Great Five Minute Breakfast

2007-02-05T20:22:00.000-05:00

Frozen Sausage Patty: 1 Minute
Scrambled Eggs: 3.5 minutes
Orange Juice: 0.5 Minute

The morning rush to get ready for work not leaving you enough time for breakfast? Got five minutes to spare? Throw a couple eggs into a small sauce pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place on stove top over medium heat.

Fold a paper towel over frozen pre-cooked sausage patty, top and bottom, place on plate and microwave for one minute. Microwave ovens vary, so you may have to adjust heating time. While sausage patty is warming, scramble your eggs.

Remove plate with sausage from microwave, discard paper towel, and scoop your scrambled eggs onto the plate. Season eggs to taste. I prefer a light sprinkle of salt and a generous sprinkling of freshly ground pepper. Pour your orange juice into a glass, and enjoy your breakfast.

Note: You can add diced onion or green pepper to the pan of raw eggs. I sometimes add a very very very slight hint of fresh garlic to mine.

Health Tip: This protein packed breakfast will jump start your metabolism for the day. You'll burn calories faster and be less apt to grab a mid-morning junk snack.

Microwave Salmon Dinner

2007-02-05T19:44:00.000-05:00

Approx. Prep. Time: 10 minutes

What You’ll Need

Package of pre-selected salad

1 Small Tomato

1 Frozen Salmon Steak

1 small to medium size Idaho potato

Package of frozen peas

Unwrap frozen salmon steak, place on plate and into microwave. Set to defrost and start defrost cycle.

While salmon is defrosting select and wash your potato, then place a helping of salad into a salad bowl. Cut tomato in half and slice one of the halves into bite size pieces. Add to salad. The other half of the tomato can be placed into a sandwich bag and refrigerated for use later.

The microwave should be in “pause” mode by now; and the screen instruction will say something like ”separate items.” Turn the salmon steak over and continue with defrost.

Pour a serving of frozen peas into a small bowl, and place your potato onto a clean plate. Next, stop the defrost cycle and check your salmon steak. It may be fully defrosted, and may have started to cook in spots depending on its thickness. Set aside, and microwave your potato for 2 minutes. Remove plate with potato and set aside. Now, microwave your small bowl of peas for about a minute. A separate serving plate for your meal can be placed under the bowl of peas. That way, you will be placing all your cooked items onto a warm plate.

Microwave ovens vary in power output and efficiency. You may have to adjust cooking times depending on that and serving size of items you are cooking.

If the salmon steak is defrosted, place it back into the microwave and cook for one minute. Remove plate from microwave and set aside.

Place your potato back into the microwave and cook for another minute. Remove and set aside. Be aware that foods will continue to cook after removal from the microwave.

Check your salmon steak. The meat should easily flake or separate with a fork. If so, it’s done. Otherwise it may need another 30 seconds of cooking time.

The peas may need another 30 seconds if not fully warmed. Give the potato another 30 seconds if not fully done.

Now, place all your cooked items onto your serving plate and you are ready to dine. The thought of cooking for one person can seem like a real chore; however, you have just prepared a wholesome meal in about ten minutes. Don’t be discouraged if this is all new to you; with a little practice you will soon be cooking like a pro. And remember, most food packages have microwave instructions nowadays.